Academic staff from Cardiff University planning to strike, says cancelled lectures will not be rescheduled.
Staff voted to strike yesterday after a dispute over pensions.
Cardiff University say they will create a “a university-wide contingency group” so that day to day activities such as teaching and research can continue.
But Dr Andy Williams the Cardiff spokesman for the University and College Union (UCU) says students’ timetables will be disrupted.
“Unfortunately for strike action to be effective, there is very little we can do to mitigate the effects of strike action.
“Those lectures will be cancelled and we’ve been instructed by the union not to reschedule lectures.
“It’s an unfortunate byproduct of being forced to take this action by the employers.”
Meanwhile some students are unhappy that they will miss teaching time, with one student saying it does not represent “good value for money.”
Members of Cardiff UCU voted by 89% to walk out.
They are joining 60 other UK universities taking industrial action.
UCU say the pension changes could leave a typical lecturer £10,000 a year worse off in retirement.
Dr Williams says the changes were “draconian”.
Employers’ representative Universities UK (UUK) say the changes will give the pension scheme “sustainable footing for the long-term.
“The scheme will continue to offer attractive pensions through market-leading defined contribution benefits”.
Across the UK 88% of voting UCU members chose strike action.
But the Universities and Colleges Employment Association criticised the voting process.
“Although UCU achieved a mandate for industrial action in 61 out of the 68 HE institutions balloted, the number of UCU members voting in favour of strike action represents an estimate of just 16% of academic staff in those HE institutions and 12% of active USS members in HE.”
Dr Williams said “there’s never been a strike in universities as big as this before.
“The widespread support that this strike has got reflects the anger that we all feel about moves to decimate our pensions.
“We’ll see unfortunately how disruptive it’s going to be, when this begins in a few weeks time.”
The strikes are set to begin on February 22nd. The 14 day strike will be spread out over four weeks.
